about 4 months ago i notice my engine started smoking a little and then my transmission stop shifting like it suppose to, my modulator was bad so i was thinking the ATF was making it smoke so i drove it the next 3-4 days and same thing... so yesterday i was letting it idle and it was smoking bad like clouds of smoke cant really tell what color smoke it was i say it was black a guy that was there with me said blue, seems like its running like it has a stuck valve or something i did a compression test this is what i got 1- 150 2- 145 3- 145 4- 120 5- 150 6- 150 7- 140 8- 120 i rechecked each cylinder 3 times and same result, i checked the motor when it was cold
Nothing in those figures that will cause a noticeable run issue... Yeah some are down 20% but unless there are holes that are down 35-40% the engine will idle and drive fine, though may be using some oil... Your issue is likely iginition...
i drove it this morning on the interstate to kinda blow it out and the valve sticking i thought was happening is gone it drives and runs fine its just the smoking is bothering me... i have one time on a 289 had good compression rings but the oil rings were shot, im hoping not
i brought a 66 farlaine that smoked and i pulled the valve covers and the oil return holes were pluged with oil jug caps cleaned them and drove that car for a few years after i just fianaly pulled the 289 and put a clevland in it
compression checking is only a small part of the clue to determining where that issue stems from. how did the plugs look? is the radiator losing any coolant? have you pulled valve covers to check if you have cracked/missing stem seals(or debri built up in the return holes as already mentioned)? major mileage drops? IMHO, you have deeper issues beyond just tuning here. Because if it was pig rich from carb or ignition issues?.. you'd know right away due to idle/drivability and mileage related clues. Plugs will be a dead giveaway too.
i changed the plugs in it yesterday plugs looked good no carbon or oil on plugs, radiator not losing any coolant, i havent pulled valve cover off yet i havent had time.... if the return holes are clogged up in the heads would it make it smoke all the time? mine while idling will smoke then stop like that back and forth, also it smokes the most when u cut off engine then crank it back up immediately
You may have bad valvestem seals... They tend to break apart and often block the oil return holes in the back ends of the heads, which will cause smoking... Worse case is a piece will find it's way into the oil pump, locking it and twisting off the oil pump drive shaft...
Just a thought, this is not too common but if all else fails and you have power brakes, the master cylinder may be leaking into the vacuum booster. It will smoke like Sonny's Barbeque out the exhaust!
well i took the valve covers off and the oil return holes on both heads were clogged up on 1 head i had to kinda bump the screwdriver with my hand just for it to unclog, i put the valve covers back on and went around the block a couple times and when i came back i let it idle and hardly any smoke was coming out. usually when i let it idle puffs and puffs of smoke would be coming out the more i let it run... i not going to say it fixed but i somehow think i still need valve stem seals
a peice of cotton rope works great pull plug and push the rope in the hole with piston on up stroke turn motor in till it just starts to bind on the rope and theres no chance of valve falling down i have used the air method and lost a valve breaking the seal so i do it this way now if i keep the heads on and it works great
it is an old Ford.. so of course you need valve stem seals! lol newer umbrella's will help somewhat(guide wear/clearance is your biggest issue there).. but the best way is to have the tops of the guides milled to accept positive type seals when you decide to rebuild the heads later on.
yea i was thinking about the compressed air into the spark plug method but i think i might try it your way just to be safe
